Council poised to fire city clerk

The Audubon City Council will vote tonight whether to remove Lora Hansen from her city clerk job, appoint another woman in her office as a temporary replacement and solicit job applications for a permanent one, according to a meeting agenda.

The votes might conclude a two-month effort to replace Hansen, whom two council members have accused of being rude and failing to embrace technological changes to their city government operations.

Hansen, who has held the post for 26 years, has said she was unaware that her job was in jeopardy and wasn't given a chance to improve.

The effort to oust Hansen has dragged on for weeks amid numerous council missteps, in which council members violated state laws in the initial vote to replace her and in subsequent requests for job applicants.

Council members declined to extend Hansen's employment for a six-month probationary period and delay a decision to replace her, which was the advice of interim City Attorney David Wiederstein.

Hansen said this morning in a telephone interview that she is considering a lawsuit for wrongful termination against the city.

The council will vote tonight whether to appoint Jan Roberts - who is listed in council minutes as the deputy city clerk - as the interim city clerk until a permanent replacement is appointed, according to the meeting's agenda. Roberts said this morning that she is unsure whether she will accept the appointment.

Councilman John Whetzal wrote in emails obtained by the Daily Times Herald that he didn't want to appoint Roberts permanently to the job.

The council meeting will start at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 410 North Park Place.